Pretzel Dogs

Here is summer/July 4th recipe that would be fun for the kids to give a helping hand. Evan is starting to get really interested in what I am doing in the kitchen, aside from his main job of emptying any cabinet within reach, and loved watching me make these Pretzel Dogs. Hot dogs (or bratwurst, I used knackwurst) are wrapped in a pretzel dough, boiled, topped with melted butter and salt, then baked. Serve them with mustard, ketchup, and fries. The pretzel dough has only 1 rise and is fairly easy to handle.

I used knackwurst for the hot dogs, which are a little larger, so I divided the dough into 8 pieces. If you are using smaller hot dogs, divide the dough into 10 pieces. Make sure to seal the ends to prevent unraveling while the pretzel dogs are boiling.

In the bowl of a large food processor fitted with a dough blade or a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water. Let sit for a minute before stirring to combine. Let sit until frothy, 5-10 minutes. Stir in, or process, the flour, sugar, salt, and 1/4 cup butter until a dough forms.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled large bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or lightly grease. Add 10 cups water and baking soda to a large pot and bring to a boil. On a lightly oiled surface, divide the dough into 8-10 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 24 inch long rope. Wrap the dough around the hot dog, pinching to seal the ends. Repeat with remaining pieces.

Place prepared pretzel dogs in boiling water, 2 at a time, for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spatula to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 12-14 minutes. Let cool on wire rack 5 minutes before serving.